The South African government has launched an investigation into the citizenship status and eligibility of Chidinma Adetshina, a finalist in the Miss South Africa 2024 pageant scheduled for Saturday at the SunBet Arena in Pretoria.
South African Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber made the statement in a statement shared on his X page on Tuesday.
Ms Adetshina was born in South Africa to a Nigerian father and a Mozambican mother, who is now a naturalised South African.
Under the South African Citizenship Act, a person automatically qualifies for citizenship if he or she is born in South Africa, if at least one of his or her parents is a South African citizen, or if he or she is adopted by a South African permanent residence permit holder or a South African citizen.
This law provides the legal basis for Ms Adetshina's South African citizenship, as she holds dual citizenship of South Africa and Nigeria.
PREMIUM TIMES previously reported that the controversy surrounding Ms Adetshina’s eligibility to compete for Miss South Africa began shortly after she entered the beauty pageant.
The 23-year-old emerged as a central figure in the debate over xenophobia and discussions about the country's national identity after advancing to the Top 30 and becoming a finalist in the Miss SA competition.
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However, criticism intensified on Monday when South Africans discovered their wedding video, which they said violated contest guidelines.
The criticism of the wedding video was that a woman who is married, divorced or a nursing mother is not eligible to compete for the Miss South Africa pageant. However, guidelines provided by the Miss South Africa organization's website revealed that being married, divorced or a mother does not disqualify contestants from participating in the Miss South Africa pageant.
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Despite numerous criticisms and calls for her disqualification, the Miss South Africa website maintains strict criteria for citizenship and ethical conduct. Surprisingly, the organization initially supported the model.
In a statement to South African newspapers, the organisation confirmed that Ms Adetshina met all the requirements to participate in the pageant.
They noted that citizenship, regardless of origin, is the primary requirement, in line with the revised South African Citizenship Act, which recognises birth, descent and naturalisation as valid pathways to citizenship.
However, Mr Schreiber's statement shows otherwise.
The statement read in part: “The Department of Home Affairs yesterday received an official request from the organisers of Miss South Africa to investigate the citizenship of a contestant at an upcoming event. The request included consent from the persons concerned.
“Based on this voluntary request and the required consent, we are working to verify and collect the required information. Prior to this request, the Department had not received any complaints regarding the matter.”
The Minister further stated that the Ministry is committed to the rule of law and is currently investigating the matter.
He stressed that any violations discovered during the investigation will be dealt with strictly in accordance with legal guidelines.
“If not, we will inform the applicants and keep the public informed of the outcome of the assessment. Rehabilitating the Home Office so that it can play its proper role in national security and economic growth is a huge task that requires public engagement.
“I urge anyone with evidence of wrongdoing to contact our Anti-Corruption Unit. Evidence-based decisions based on the rule of law are the way to defeat corruption and rebuild South Africa,” the minister said.
South Africa's Minister of Arts and Culture also
Similarly, in an interview with the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), South Africa's Minister of Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, requested that Ms Adetshina provide documentation to confirm her South African citizenship.
McKenzie, chairman of South Africa’s anti-immigrant political party Patriotic Alliance, which led a crusade against “illegal foreigners” in the country, including Nigerians, in January 2022, said: “Why can’t she just present (documents) and say she’s South African? Beautiful young South African girls could be deprived of this opportunity.”
The winner of the Miss South Africa 2024 pageant will succeed Natasha Joubert of Gauteng, the 2023 titleholder, and will represent South Africa at the Miss Universe 2024 pageant in Mexico.